Find law schools that offset student loan debt with high salaries
Many law students depend on student loans to fund their legal education. Students from the Class of 2024 at 127 ranked law schools that reported debt figures to U.S. News incurred an average debt of $107,193. But law school grads, in some cases, can offset high debt loads with higher-paying salaries. Students from the 127 ranked law schools reported an average of $111,552 for a full-time salary in the private sector for 2023 grads. Here are the top 25 ranked law schools where full-time grads who borrowed and entered the private sector had the highest salary-to-debt ratio, per U.S. News data.
George Mason University (VA)
U.S. News law school rank: 31 (tie)
Starting median private salary (2023): $150,000
Average debt (2024): $103,623
Salary-to-debt ratio: 1.45-to-1
Learn more about George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia Law School.
University of Utah
U.S. News law school rank: 31 (tie)
Starting median private salary (2023): $120,000
Average debt (2024): $80,642
Salary-to-debt ratio: 1.49-to-1
Learn more about the University of Utah’s S.J. Quinney College of Law.
University of Southern California
U.S. News law school rank: 26 (tie)
Starting median private salary (2023): $215,000
Average debt (2024): $140,691
Salary-to-debt ratio: 1.53-to-1
Learn more about the University of Southern California Gould School of Law.
Emory University (GA)
U.S. News law school rank: 38 (tie)
Starting median private salary (2023): $202,500
Average debt (2024): $131,339
Salary-to-debt ratio: 1.54-to-1
Learn more about Emory University School of Law.
University of California, Davis
U.S. News law school rank: 50 (tie)
Starting median private salary (2023): $200,000
Average debt (2024): $125,961
Salary-to-debt ratio: 1.59-to-1
Learn more about the University of California, Davis School of Law.
University of Georgia
U.S. News law school rank: 22 (tie)
Starting median private salary (2023): $120,000
Average debt (2024): $73,836
Salary-to-debt ratio: 1.63-to-1
Learn more about the University of Georgia School of Law.
William & Mary (VA)
U.S. News law school rank: 31 (tie)
Starting median private salary (2023): $185,000
Average debt (2024): $113,314
Salary-to-debt ratio: 1.63-to-1
Learn more about William & Mary Law School.
University of Minnesota
U.S. News law school rank: 20 (tie)
Starting median private salary (2023): $177,500
Average debt (2024): $108,084
Salary-to-debt ratio: 1.64-to-1
Learn more about the University of Minnesota Law School.
Washington and Lee University (VA)
U.S. News law school rank: 36 (tie)
Starting median private salary (2023): $170,000
Average debt (2024): $103,894
Salary-to-debt ratio: 1.64-to-1
Learn more about Washington and Lee University School of Law.
University of Notre Dame (IN)
U.S. News law school rank: 20 (tie)
Starting median private salary (2023): $215,000
Average debt (2024): $128,587
Salary-to-debt ratio: 1.67-to-1
Learn more about Notre Dame Law School.
Yeshiva University (NY)
U.S. News law school rank: 63 (tie)
Starting median private salary (2023): $191,500
Average debt (2024): $108,242
Salary-to-debt ratio: 1.77-to-1
Learn more about Yeshiva University’s Cardozo School of Law.
University of Iowa
U.S. News law school rank: 36 (tie)
Starting median private salary (2023): $160,000
Average debt (2024): $90,031
Salary-to-debt ratio: 1.78-to-1
Learn more about the University of Iowa’s College of Law.
Temple University (PA)
U.S. News law school rank: 50 (tie)
Starting median private salary (2023): $150,000
Average debt (2024): $79,125
Salary-to-debt ratio: 1.90-to-1
Learn more about Temple University’s James E. Beasley School of Law.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
U.S. News law school rank: 18 (tie)
Starting median private salary (2024): $175,000
Average debt (2024): $89,377
Salary-to-debt ratio: 1.96-to-1
Learn more about the University of North Carolina School of Law.
University of Texas at Austin
U.S. News law school rank: 14 (tie)
Starting median private salary (2023): $225,000
Average debt (2024): $111,150
Salary-to-debt ratio: 2.02-to-1
Learn more about the University of Texas School of Law.
Boston University (MA)
U.S. News law school rank: 22 (tie)
Starting median private salary (2023): $225,000
Average debt (2024): $108,550
Salary-to-debt ratio: 2.07-to-1
Learn more about the Boston University School of Law.
Georgia State University
U.S. News law school rank: 79 (tie)
Starting median private salary (2023): $100,000
Average debt (2024): $48,259
Salary-to-debt ratio: 2.07-to-1
Learn more about Georgia State University College of Law.
University of Tennessee–Knoxville
U.S. News law school rank: 55 (tie)
Starting median private salary (2023): $150,000
Average debt (2024): $72,377
Salary-to-debt ratio: 2.07-to-1
Learn more about the University of Tennessee–Knoxville’s Winston College of Law.
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
U.S. News law school rank: 48 (tie)
Starting median private salary (2023): $150,000
Average debt (2024): $71,157
Salary-to-debt ratio: 2.11-to-1
Learn more about the University of Illinois College of Law.
Washington University in St. Louis (MO)
U.S. News law school rank: 14 (tie)
Starting median private salary (2023): $205,000
Average debt (2024): $93,380
Salary-to-debt ratio: 2.20-to-1
Learn more about Washington University School of Law.
Wayne State University (MI)
U.S. News law school rank: 71 (tie)
Starting median private salary (2023): $135,000
Average debt (2024): $60,852
Salary-to-debt ratio: 2.22-to-1
Learn more about Wayne State University Law School.
University of Florida
U.S. News law school rank: 38 (tie)
Starting median private salary (2023): $140,000
Average debt (2024): $61,356
Salary-to-debt ratio: 2.28-to-1
Learn more about the University of Florida Levin College of Law.
University of Alabama
U.S. News law school rank: 31 (tie)
Starting median private salary (2023): $150,000
Average debt (2024): $63,225
Salary-to-debt ratio: 2.37-to-1
Learn more about the University of Alabama School of Law.
Brigham Young University (UT)
U.S. News law school rank: 28 (tie)
Starting median private salary (2023): $140,000
Average debt (2024): $54,678
Salary-to-debt ratio: 2.56-to-1
Learn more about Brigham Young University’s J. Reuben Clark Law School.
Southern Methodist University (TX)
U.S. News law school rank: 43 (tie)
Starting median private salary (2023): $150,000
Average debt (2024): $51,451
Salary-to-debt ratio: 2.92-to-1
Learn more about Southern Methodist University’s Dedman School of Law.
Learn more about paying for law school.
Find out which law schools provide the most grant money. Explore the U.S. News Best Law Schools rankings to figure out which law school is the best fit for you.
See the 25 law schools with highest salary-to-debt ratios.
— Southern Methodist University’s Dedman School of Law (TX): 2.92-to-1
— Brigham Young University’s J. Reuben Clark Law School (UT): 2.56-to-1
— University of Alabama School of Law: 2.37-to-1
— University of Florida’s Levin College of Law: 2:28-to-1
— Wayne State University Law School (MI): 2:22-to-1
— Washington University School of Law (MO): 2:20-to-1
— University of Illinois College of Law: 2.11-to-1
— Boston University School of Law (MA): 2.07-to-1
— Georgia State University College of Law: 2.07-to-1
— University of Tennessee–Knoxville’s Winston College of Law: 2.07-to-1
— University of Texas School of Law: 2:02-to-1
— University of North Carolina School of Law: 1:96-to-1
— Temple University’s James E. Beasley School of Law (PA): 1:90-to-1
— University of Iowa College of Law: 1.78-to-1
— Yeshiva University’s Cardozo School of Law (NY): 1.77-to-1
— Notre Dame Law School (IN): 1:67-to-1
— University of Minnesota Law School: 1:64-to-1
— Washington and Lee University School of Law (VA): 1:64-to-1
— University of Georgia School of Law: 1:63-to-1
— William & Mary Law School (VA): 1.63-to-1
— University of California, Davis School of Law: 1.59-to-1
— Emory University School of Law (GA): 1:54-to-1
— University of Southern California Gould School of Law: 1:53-to-1
— University of Utah’s S.J. Quinney College of Law: 1.49-to-1
— George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia Law School: 1.45-to-1
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25 Law Schools Where You Can Pay Off Your Debt originally appeared on usnews.com
Update 06/30/25: This story was published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information.
